


A Miracle In Moving Parts

by nessapyrope12



Category: Original Work
Genre: Multi, sorry if you were expecting fan fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-26
Updated: 2018-09-23
Packaged: 2019-06-16 11:16:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,083
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15435870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nessapyrope12/pseuds/nessapyrope12
Summary: By all intents and purposes, you shouldn't be reading this. But then again, it stands to reason that you should.





	1. Burn The House Down (Monday)

**Author's Note:**

> Enjoy the ride, loves   
> ~Juno

The world was ending.

 

 

Or at least, had ended, according to Sarah. Charlie had rolled his eyes at her, but deep down he knew. He wasn’t going to get another chance. But he was the god of revolution. So, he’d make his own chances.

He always did, it helped when you knew how to rig the system. It would take just four pricks of blood, one being himself. Two would give willingly, the other would have to be held down.

Oh, and she was. Maya, the goddess of order had screamed a litany of bloody murder and kicked Corryn in the shin and gave Charlie another black eye. They got the blood in the end though, and Charlie set to work with the ritual.

“Do you think it’ll work?” Corryn hovered behind him, eating at his pinky nail.

“I don’t know,” muttered Charlie “can you not, you know, _chew_ so loud behind me?”

He painted very carefully, making sure the words could be read. “Hey Banksy,” Artemis said, nursing a broken arm. “Love your work, can you draw a dick on my cast?” Corryn stared at her and Charlie laughed and painted the words either way. When he was done, the reception wasn’t met with much resistance.

“Does…does that say “s.o.s you dickshark” in Nahua, Charlie?” Maya said crossly.

He smiled sweetly at her. “If I wanted the word for dickshark I would have painted you, love.” He stepped deftly aside when her inevitable slap would try to find his face.

Boo. He almost wanted to get hurt this time. He sighed and wrote down more words. Words that weren’t translated to the others but his family, so that they could read it when they found him.

If they ever found him, that is.

Charlie almost cried, but when he turned back to join the others, he had felt no prick of tears wash over him like the prick of a thorn that had almost let out blood.

“Hey, buddy,” Artemis said, hobbling over. “Are you alright?”

He took a once over at her. She stood at an imposing four foot eleven, with hair almost on the verge of iron, and eyes so dark there were no distinct difference between the pupil and iris. She reminded him of someone.

“I’m fine” he said easily. “I’m just waiting for Adrian to get the message.”

Artemis looked at him impassively. “How do you know he’s even reading that?”

Charlie shrugged, indifferent. “I don’t. I have hope. Isn’t that stupid?”

That wrung a grin out of her. “Hey, nothing is stupid anymore. Technically stupid doesn’t exist anymore.” Charlie laughed, despite himself. Goddess of chaos, of course, a friend with wisdom, far more likely. Artemis clasped his shoulder. “Food’s ready, if you’re going to eat, you might as well.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Back to his thoughts, back to the inside of himself, and Artemis left without a word. He wasn’t going to eat. He was going to wait til he got an answer.

When there wasn’t a world to hide lies in, the truth was as comfortable as self-victimization. When Charlie couldn’t remember what he was doing, he fell asleep. Dozing to only memories, distant memories that were set to a soundtrack. 

 

* * *

 

  1. _Revolutionary era Philadelphia: he had just come back from initiating the worst mistake in his career, but at this point he was so lost in his power that he didn’t notice when he stumbled into the tall man with greying hair and horned rimmed glasses._



_“Excuse me, sir” he said giddily. The man looked at him with a sort of fatherly disappointment. Charlie could dig that. “You fucking idiot” the man said, a wisp of an accent in his smoke cloud voice._

_Charlie blinked again. This man wasn’t dressed in the period. Trousers, a plain shirt with three buttons at the top, a weird pattern top shirt laying on the first. He wasn’t wearing shoes._

_“I beg your pardon?”_

_“You fucking heard me” the man now enunciated, drawing the insult back for blood. “You’re an absolute moron, Mr. Sparks.” A snort now. “God of revolutions, my ass, this is the worst thing you will ever do.”_

_That snapped him out of his stupor. Charlie looked at him warily. “Who are you?”_

_“Oh, now you want to know my name? Is it because you’ll be—” he caught himself on the precipice of an innuendo, and stiffened. Charlie felt his cheeks blossom with red. Both of them coughed._

_“We’ll get to that part later tonight” Charlie said despite himself “right now I want to know your name, and if you’re mortal.”_

_“Adrian, and no.”_

_“Adrian what? What’s your surname, sir?”_

_Adrian seemed amused. “I don’t have one.”_

_“You don’t—what do you mean “I don’t have one”?”_

_Adrian looked at the light in the distance. Charlie couldn’t help but stare, as if pleading for information. Tell me who you are. I lost who I was, maybe I can cling to you, he begged silently. Finally, the other man turned around, and gave a slight shrug._

_“When I was made it was decided that I didn’t need something that unnecessary.”_

 

* * *

 

 

Charlie gasped awake, coughing up bits of jade. He winced at the throbbing in his throat. He didn’t want to die. He wanted to live, he wanted to guide the world he used to live in, where it was so imperfect that it was endearing. His head swiveled around wildly, assessing dangers that he knew weren’t there.

All there was a girl that was familiar. His niece Lily, his flower power girl, oh Christ, he was so relieved. She had gotten up to get him food and a cup of water and was moving towards him. “Here” she said, small voice rough and patchy. She handed the food to him, and she watched as he drank carefully, and she drew her arms towards him, as if begging for a hug.

Well she didn’t have to beg. He was offering them for free. He hugged her, drawing her to him like they were both a tangle of vines waiting for each other. They stayed like that for a while. “This is nice” Lily mused. Charlie hummed in agreement. “You can ask for one any time” he whispered.

She giggled and let go, and he watched her leave fondly. What was it about the end of the world that brought the beginning of something else, of something more?

“You love your niece” Maya observed. Charlie nodded, he didn’t have time to argue or be petty. He simply nodded. “Yes” and then he was tired again. “That’s good” Maya said absently. “You still have your family.”

In the guise of a food coma, he fell asleep, dreaming about a thousand flowers dancing in the light of a moon that was no longer there, to a song that no longer existed.

 

* * *

 

_My heart aches like a burn. I don’t like it._

  1. _His niece came to him for advice. She didn’t know he was her uncle, he didn’t dare the information breathe that air with him. Cue the massive fight with his then lover, Coryn, god of stories._



_“Why are you like this?”_  
“I don’t know, stop asking me stupid questions.”   
“You’re using your power again.” Accusatory this time, said like he was being chastised. 

_This time two knives flew of their own accord, burying themselves in the plaster of the house. Two final warnings. “Get out” Charlie said in a strangled voice, didn’t know if the hand clasping his throat making it that way was of anger or jealousy._

_Corryn left, anger fuming at his every fiber. “Don’t tell me you’re going to cry now” drawled a new voice, the kind that was leftover when the stars were done dancing._

_“Who are you?” He said it quietly. There was no need for anger now; he either knew them or was about to._

_“Joan Theroux, at your service. Friend of Adrian’s.” A gloved hand was stuck out. “Did you even love the man?”_

_Charlie stared at the knives in the wall. The use of power had turned the blade translucent green. “No, I don’t think I ever did, and that’s going to haunt me forever. That’s going to haunt him forever.” The gloved hand gave way to a small girl, too witty and fiery and angry to be a cosmic guardian._

_“Don’t worry, his story is closing. Yours is just beginning.”_

* * *

 

 

 _He stared at her, hope leaving everywhere. “Then why do I feel like the world is ending?”  
_ Charlie woke up this time to the sound of a river flowing. Artemis was keeping watch and staring outside with an awed expression. “Rivers don’t exist anymore” Charlie tried to tell her. “Water doesn’t exist. What’s flowing? That can’t be water.”

“It isn’t” Artemis said. “Look for yourself.” And he did, and what surprised him wasn’t water.

It was _expression, love, anger, happiness, grief_. It was the backbone of chaos flowing upwards to them and fast. “Now what are we supposed to do with chaos?”

Artemis looked at him questioningly and he looked hard at the sapphire color speeding towards his now outstretched hand. It touched him, and he inhaled sharply.

“We serve it.”

One eye of his was a startlingly sapphire color with green flecks inside. Artemis approached the substance cautiously and her hair turned a pure silver with an amethyst lock going through it.

“Let’s go serve Chaos, then.”

End of Chapter 1.


	2. Introduction Artemis

Running had been what Artemis Falco was good at. She was a part of Chaos, all her friends were, but the chaos that ran through her veins was wildfire, it was Vengeance, it was the Retribution you get when the time was right.

She checked her watch. Is it retribution time?

No, it’s time to run from the cops.

Freely bleeding and laughing like a maniac, she’s already jumped several buildings. Her right arm is nearly useless, but that’s not something some good source melt wouldn’t fix.

It didn’t matter what country she was in, it didn’t matter if she didn’t remember it. She was free. That’s when she remembers running into him.

And for the first time, Artemis feels fear.

This gargantuan man the color of sable stood and tapped her with a healing spell. He was sitting at a café outside she couldn’t understand how he was fast enough to touch her.

Or how he was even able to see her, even. That should have been impossible. Artemis looks at him warily. He gives her a warm smile. “You looked like you needed that more than me.” Her eyes wander down his ugly tracksuit to a very noticeable blood stain pooling around his shirt.

“Why didn’t you use it on that?”

He gave her a bladelike smile as an answer. Her heart jumped to her chest, she felt like she was running again.

“Same reason you didn’t bother repairing that nerve damage in your hand. That’s beyond the healing spell. What do you think you deserve, moon kid?”   
_Fuck,_ Artemis thinks. _I’m going to have to care about another one again._

She saw another woman sitting next to him, impatiently tapping her foot. “I thought you said the thing would knock her out. How could you mess that up, you’re pathetic.”

His eyes twitched to her, never losing that friendly demeanor. “You talk to me that way one more time, Commander” the air turned cold with venom “I’ll rip your arm off and use it to golf with.”

The woman’s eyes narrowed and she scoffed. “As if you could do that again.”

 _Again,_ Artemis thought dizzily. _These two are going to strip me of my power_. She turns to leave when another man, same friendly demeanor, no mercy behind his eyes. In fact there was excitement. He looked excited.

“I wouldn’t do that if you were smart, love” the man was charmingly British, head of unruly dark hair and eyes black enough to hold the universe and her secrets. He got into her face and gave her a cheeky smile. “We don’t bite unless you’re into that.”

She turned red. “Romy, don’t talk to our sister like that.” The first man said with a lazy wave of his hand.  
“Sister?” she choked.

“You heard that right.”   
His eyes flashed a familiar shade of green and she realized, she did know him.

They were made of the same stuff, so to speak.

“You don’t have to do anything more” she said honestly. “I’ll come with you. Just give me time to figure out my hand, okay.”   
“What’s wrong with their hand?”

“Don’t you mean her, Charlie?”   
“Maybe so.”   
She turned to the first man. “Charlie, that’s your name?”   
Charlie puffed up his chest in pride. “Yeah, I chose it myself.” Artemis turned around and muttered, teasingly “what a stupid name.”   
Charlie turned red. “That’s Maya, and the one who was flirting with you was Romy Lightheart.”   
“Charmed” Romy said brightly.   
Maya nodded shortly. “Don’t worry about Maya, she needs to warm up to you. Give her time.”

“But, Char, she’s been around you for ages and can’t stand you!” Romy said gleefully. Charlie rubbed the bridge of his nose. Artemis quietly laughed.   
She had a family now, how wonderful was that?

 


	3. Chapter 3

 

_Beijing, circa 2012._

_Silver throws their hands in frustration at the man. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about, but frankly, does any man know?_

_“Just get this in the press, don’t ask any questions.”_

_“Where’s your source?” The man presses them, and it sparks irritation like a small flame._

_“What did I say asking about asking questions?” The words came out in a snarl from a bloody muzzle. No longer human, little more than beast was staring up at the man, who looked back at the once-person in fear.  
“Alright” the man screams, staggering back a couple of feet. A pleased grunt comes from the form. Back to person it is. _

_“Oh, darling” draws a voice. It sounds like raspberries clinking together with ice tea being stirred on a porch in Tennessee. “What are we going to do with you?”_  
Silver feels a blush rise to their cheeks. The voice chuckles and it sounds like a bell ringing.   
“Whatever it is, it must be ordered, and planned.” Voice gives way to a feminine face, all cherry lipped smiles and cherub-cheeked innocence.  “Don’t want you getting any ideas, pet.” 

_They wouldn’t. Not for a while, at least. The man looks confused at the woman who appeared, and Silver eyes him, ready for anything._  
“Bon appetit, darling” the woman says before leaving and the man goes pale.   
“Don’t be afraid” Silver’s face splits into a wicked grin bearing teeth sharper than any knife. “It’ll only hurt on the way down.” 

The math building in Rivera University had now 5 new unwanted occupants

Maya Coyote, Artemis Falco, Romy Lightheart, Lily Avila, and Charlie Sparks all sat together in a semi-circle. If you could find an entry on “scenes before all hell broke loose” in a book, well…this picture would be in the front of the chapter.

Right before anyone could say “what the fuck” a pleasant voice cut through their panic attack. “Oh good, you’re still alive. Except for the white dude, can’t fucking stand him.”

The voice that came from the body was weird. It didn’t match, it had too much life and amusement of what it had to be aged. It almost reminded Charlie he was lucky to be immortal. It still didn’t do the man any favors because all Charlie could think of was how loud the silence was.

He hated it.

Immediately standing up and clutching his bloody side he made a move for the old man with his dagger and rushed him, but before he knew it the man already had him on the floor with his arms pinned uncomfortably back.   
“Nice to see you again, Dr. Sparks,” the man commented wryly and Charlie bared his teeth in pain.   
“Dr. Sparks?” exclaimed Maya.   
“ _Again?”_ shouted Artemis.

“Ha-ha, he kicked your ass” Romy laughed. Charlie colored purple. “Alright, you made your point Dante, can you stop showing off? You’re abusing the elderly” Charlie muttered.

The old man gave him a wolfish grin. “C’mon, you know you like it.”

Lily snickered and he turned a deeper shade of purple. “Okay, we’re definitely missing some crucial background story of yours, god of revolution. Fess up” Romy demanded.

“I know him from Vietnam” Dante explained. “He saved my life when my squadron nearly left me to save their own.”   
Artemis shot a look at Charlie. He wouldn’t look at her, wouldn’t cross her direction with his eyes, only trained his gaze at a spot on the floor. _Why wouldn’t you tell me you had older friends than me?_ She tried to send her thoughts to him. _What are you trying to hide, moon boy?_

His eyes met hers. She nearly choked and turned her gaze away and was caught by Maya’s perceptive gaze. _I know,_ it seemed to say. Artemis didn’t like this look. She knew too much.

“We got our degrees together” Dante continued obliviously, happily.

“Wait, Charlie, you’re educated?” Romy said.

“I may have gone to school a couple of times” Charlie whispered.

“He has 7 degrees and 4 of them are ph.d’s” Dante said with a laugh.  

“What else are you hiding, Charlie?”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two heartbreaks lead to a union

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey I'm sorry if this is just freeform porn

Romeo Lightheart, better known as Romy to his friends, is the only immortal to know what exactly what was going to happen. He used it frequently to his advantage, and Charlie loves to joke that his best friend was the biggest lady killer the universe would ever see.

Too bad he was only in love with Charlie. He had been ever since he saw the man. Bright eyed, a doey kind of love that he could never get rid of. Romy Lightheart, god of passion and ambition and the future was in love with the only person who had a path that would never involve him more than the role of best friend.

He was okay with it. At least he thought he was, this whiskey he was drinking made him okay with anything and everything. When Chaos touched them all, he found his blond hair streaked with dark strands that could be confused with ink, and his brown eyes flecked with amber. He was already good looking, at six feet with a strong jawline and hooded eyes that made him look like he was perpetually in lust, Chaos did something to everyone that he was now realizing.

It was making them godly beautiful. It was making them godly beautiful, he felt the pull to his friends like a magnet. Maybe that’s why he was avoiding them in this university he knew nothing about.

He felt a tap on his shoulder. “Charlie, I’m fine, I just like to drink by myself—oh. Oh, hello.” It was Maya, who bore a haggard expression and smiled weakly. “Got enough to share, Lightheart?”

He wordlessly passed the bottle to her, and she took a deep swig, and grimaced. “This shit is terrible, where’d you get it?” He made a vague motion to the student dorms, and Maya nodded in understanding.

“You’re in love with Charlie” she said, after a pause that felt like it could birth twins. Romy laughed, a bitterness creeping into him that he never let himself feel. “What, and you are too? Don’t bullshit me, Coyote. Everyone’s in love with Charlie, in some way or another.”

“You’re not wrong” she admitted. “I admire him more than I love him, though. I think…I think I fell in love with someone else.” Romy raised an eyebrow and passed the bottle to her again. “Do tell, Maya dearest.” Her gaze grew hazy and suddenly he could see Artemis Falco, silver hair and eyes and freckled skin like stars against a pale sunset sky.

“Oh” he said in realization. “Oh, honey, you are fucked.” She groaned in acknowledgement. “I know, I’m pretty sure she’s in love with Charlie, but Charlie…Charlie’s different. If it was Charlie she was in love with, I could handle it. If Charlie loved her like that, I could handle it. I just don’t want to see her get hurt.”

Romy could see Maya shaking slightly and he scooted closer to her and cautiously put his arm around her. It surprised him how easy it was to be a brother to her, a friend. It surprised him more that she nuzzled into the crook of his neck and he flushed. “You don’t want to do that.” He could barely choke out a whisper as her lips grazed his neck in an intimate kiss.

“Why shouldn’t I?” She murmured, running her hands down his back teasingly. “Y-you’re hurting right now, and I can understand that” Romy shuddered. “But I can see where this leads to, and I want to be able to look at you without remembering how you looked under me.” Maya blushed and brought their lips together. “All the more reason to pursue this further” she whispered, and he shuddered again. “You’ll regret it.”

“I don’t see any repercussions” Maya whispered, and Romy could feel himself tugging at her chiton in want, in desperation. “We can blame the whiskey” he said hoarsely, capturing her lips in a passionate kiss. “We can blame our heartache for bringing us together” Maya groaned as the chiton was loosened from her body and shuddered as Romy stroked every part of skin he could reach to her.

“I think I can blame that” Romy said with a half-smile as Maya began attacking the buttons on his shirt. The clothes pooled around them in methodical waves and Romy could feel his power envelop them both as they kissed and grinded against each other.

Somewhere, in the distance, there was a woman and a man watching the scene. It was Charlie and Joan, blushing and unable to tear their eyes off the sight. “I didn’t” Charlie said hoarsely as Maya let out a moan that shook him to his core. “I didn’t know.” Joan smirked, but looked ultimately unimpressed.

“Of course you didn’t” she said, watching avidly as Romy began kissing down Maya’s chest as she arched into him. “Heartache brings people together. What they don’t know” she said, as Romy began spreading the other woman’s legs to pleasure her “is that this relationship is stable. It’s going to last.”

“However, it’ll be awkward as all hell once they’re sober. Good thing they’ll get over it.” Maya’s moans were getting higher and louder in pitch and sound, and Romy sounded close. Charlie could feel the want for something like that in him. He turned around, unable, unwilling to see any more. But he could still see them in his mind’s eye.

He brought them together. He didn’t know if he was handling this well. “Well, I’ve never seen reverse cowgirl like that before. They’ll be busy all night, and all morning too.” Joan teased. Charlie growled and stalked away. “What, Sparks, you’re like Cupid. Face it like the god you are.” Joan called after him. He didn’t want to, but he wouldn’t give her the luxury of answering her.

 

Romy woke up, curiously naked with another curiously naked Maya around him. She opened one eye and smiled sleepily at him. Then another voice that was curiously familiar, along with another curiously familiar voice.

“Oh look, Khodie, he didn’t regret it after all.” It was Adrian’s voice, amused and dry.

“She didn’t either” the woman’s voice giggled. “This was the best porno I’ve seen in real life, thanks Drian.”

Romy laid his head back down again, and laughed.

Fucking shit.


	5. Chapter 5

h, hey Adrian” Maya yawned, and stretched languidly. Romy wanted to be angry at these cosmic voyeuristic perverts, but could he? Could he really when he was staring at the way Maya’s breasts rose and fell as she took a breath?

 _Is this what chaos does?_ He thought slowly. _Does it make you fall in love?_ Charlie’s weary voice cut through the mess of a haze he was in. He scrambled to put his clothes on with Maya, and he only looked a weary type of amused at Romy.

“Glad to see you made it” Charlie directed towards Adrian, with a breezy confidence that told both Romy and Maya that he had absolutely no confidence in what he was he doing and saying.

“Well, you fixed your own mess, I had to see this miracle for myself.” Charlie choked on his spit. Adrian looked unimpressed. “So you didn’t do this after all. Of fucking course. That’s what I get for getting my hopes up.”

“I thought you fixed the world” he half screamed. Romy was just glad that he and Maya weren’t the focus of attention. They edged towards the border of the argument to escape and when they thought they were good, Maya shrieked as two hands cupped her from behind. “I beg your pardon!” She screeched, high pitched. “Oh, you can beg” Khodie said idly, groping at Maya’s breasts. “But I heard you beg for Romeo, and that was more fun to listen to.”

Charlie eyed Khodie and said “let Romy touch her for now, Khodes.” Romy lead Maya outside and she smiled at him uncertainly.

“I hope this wasn’t a one time thing” Maya said hopefully. Romy laughed, and brought their lips together fondly. “I was hoping we could go another round, actually” Romy growled when they broke apart. Maya shuddered and tugged Romy into the next room.

Back to where Charlie and Adrian were arguing, Khodie was walking around, bored out of her wits. There was no one around for her to mess with, and for that she was actually kind of sad about.

“Why’d you even bring Khodie here? What good is a supernatural detective in a chase of Chaos?” Charlie asked, genuine interest in his voice.

“He didn’t bring me here” Khodie said in boredom. “I was already here and we met up. That’s what friends do, you should get one of them. They’re pretty useful.” Charlie growled and his eyes lit up green as a strangled moan came from next door. “Why are you here? This is god/cosmic entity business, not unfortunate mortal who hitched a ride on an acid trip.”

Khodie’s eyes lit up amber as she grinned, teeth white and dangerous looking.

“Oh no” wailed Charlie.   
            “Oh yes” cackled Khodie “guess who’s a god now, motherfucker?”


	6. Intermission Julia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He's a hopeless romantic and she's an unlucky sucker

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, guys. Thanks for putting up with bullshittery

            Falling in love is easy. It’s so easy to fall in love, Charlie thinks as he climbs the green paneled bus that will take him to central station and then back home. It can be as uneventful as a car ride, where your brain just omits things because they weren’t that important.

            McAllen Central Station was buzzing with traffic. There were people headed to home, both on this side of the border and on the direct opposite. He had a good training session with Keats, who had taught him about the mantle he now holds. His long legs amble to the now parked orange bus that will take him all the way to Edinburg, and then a quick ten minute walk home.

            That’s when he sees her.

            She’s at least five foot three, standing ready for the bus driver to open the door. Her hair is curly like his and in a messy bun, and her stance is tense, like she’s waiting for a fight. Her eyes are shining with something fiery, like there’s a brushfire somewhere deep inside her that never got extinguished. There’s something about her that begs interest and more investigation.

            In short, he’s captivated at first sight and unaware he’s staring like a lunatic. It’s only that she smiles hesitantly, pink lips quirking in an anxious gesture of greeting that he’s completely taken with her. Wow, what a knockout.

            Soon people begin to line up, and the bus begins to fill. Charlie hopes there’s a seat for him all by himself but to his dismay it’s not going to happen. Every seat in the bus is taken. Well, _almost_ every seat, there’s one by the pretty girl who’s reading intensely from a well loved and weather friendly book.

            Charlie clears his throat. She looks up, startled, and gives him a sheepish grin. Oh my god, can she get any cuter? “Sorry” her voice says, the vocal quality almost like the texture of soft blankets. “Did you want a seat?”

            Suddenly he can’t speak. “Y-yeah” he says after what feels like an eternity. (It was fifteen seconds.) “Is that okay?” She smiles gently, and moves her pink bag out of the empty seat.

            He grins at her gratefully. “Thank you” he says enthusiastically, and is unaware of her cheeks blooming with color. “I’m Charlie, it’s nice to meet you.”

            “Julia” she answers back “the pleasure is mine. You’re new to the Valley?”

            That strikes a bad chord in him. “Well, I’m not new, I lived in Rivera for some time but now I’m back to teach school.” Better a fancy dressed truth than a naked lie, he thinks.

            Her eyes light up, and he thinks he may be in love with a mortal for the first time. They talk the entire bus ride.

            She’s a Master’s student in English literature, a TA for Artemis (what a surprise, he thinks wryly).

            Talking to her is like talking to someone who’s known you for your entire life. She may be a stranger, but she gives off such a vibe of comfort and safety that he thinks he can tell her anything.

            The bus turns sharply and like a sappy romantic comedy he catches her in his arms. She’s utterly amused. “You gonna let me go, Prince Charming?”

            He laughs at that. “Well, if the shoe fits, Cinderella”

            Before they can make the moment sweeter, the bus stops. She smiles regretfully. “It’s my stop.” He feels his heart plummet to his feet and back to his throat. It’s a whiplash of emotions he hasn’t felt in centuries.

            He doesn’t say goodbye. He’ll see her somewhere on the campus, and leaves it at that. He sits back down and waits for his stop and jolts as he sees Joan’s grinning form with Keats annoyed stare.

            “Oh no” he says in a warning tone. “Not her, she doesn’t even know who I am.”   
            Joan smiles sweetly and he groans.

 

            The title of Revolution has found its next heir.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow me at Twitter 
> 
> @gutsyglumshoe

**Author's Note:**

> :^) <3 
> 
> ~ Juno @gutsyglumshoe on Twitter


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